Building unit



Feb. 2, 1932. E. M. WYATT ET AL v 1,843,184

BUILDING UNIT Filed Aug. 27, 1929 strips along t ,the surfaces will displa Patented Feb. 2, 1932 A 11 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN M. WYATT AND KEM PER SLIDELL, 0F MADISON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS, IBY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN FACE BRICK RESEARCH POBATION OF ILLINOIS v CORPQRATION, A COB.-

."BUILDING UNIT This invention. relates to a building unit 4 mg a variation of extruding the material in which is formed from amass of thin strings or strips of clay, which are run in parallel relation or are interlaced, interwoven, or otherwise assembled into a mass of rectangular or other form, and afterwards baked or burned to produce a building unit.

The rod-like strings of which the present unit is composed are extruded from a perforated die in the form of spaghetti, the diameters of which may vary, and while in the flexible or plastic state are run'out in parallel relation, or are intercoiled interlaced, or otherwise bundled, either directly as they flow from the die or'shortly afterwards while they are still in the wet or plas tic condition.

The building unit thus composed'may be used for various purposes where a light, porous insulating and sound-proof material is desired. Such a unit is advantageous to manufacture, because the voids within it save material, and because the voids permit of air circulation that permits of more rapid drying and burning than is possible with solid units.

Where a wall surface having a rough undulating texture is sought, the strings or continuous cylinders forming the surface layers of the blocks may be allowed to. remain in their matted, bundled, or intercoiled condition, undisturbed by troweling or other compressive or deformative action, so that the individual the constituents string-like appearance 0 of which the block is composed.

The building unit of the present invention maybe finished in various ways, either by smoothing the surface with a troweling action and firing, or by extruding e edges of the die, which later are rought into contact one 'with the other, to thus form a continuous smooth surface on all four sides of the extrudingcolumn. f

Other objects and details will appear from a description of the invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,-

before dryin Figure 1 is a vertical center line sectional view illustrating one of the methods of building up the unit of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is another sectional drawing showa horizontal direction for building up the unit of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4.4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view on a somewhat larger scale, through a corner of a completed unit made at random, showing commmglmg of the constitutent material, and with rolled or troweled down exterior surfaces.

In producing the building unit of the present invention, a mass of clay A in relatively plastic condition is introduced through the hopper B of an extrudin device 0 havin an auger D, which latter evice, by revolving, forces the clay through a number of small orifices E of a die plate F. See Figs. 1 and 2.

The material flows from the die orifices in, the form of strings resembling spaghetti, the

that builds the strings o clay up in matted or interwoven structure. If desired, a mold of any other form or character may be used in lieu of the trough shown and'described.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the mass H is accumulated with the strings in parallel relation to a s chronized'moving belt or conveyor J. v 11 either method, the mass is somewhat deformed and compressed by means of rollers K.

If desired, the mass can be more orless comacted by pressure from-time to time, or can e compressed by any suitable means to give a more accurate configuration to-theimass, or

if desired, the surface while still in the plastic state, may be smoothed down by troweling or the'like, to give a practically continuous planate surface formation, without, however, 'subJectlngthe mass asa whole to sufliclent compression tocause the strings of material I to coalesce or loseitheir integrity. However,

in view of the fact that the strings, when fed, are in.a somewhat sticky or adherent condition, the mass as a whole will adhere together Y sufliciently to maintain its shape in preparation for the cutting, drying and firing operations. 1 N

In either variation of the method so far described, that is, illustrated as Figure 1 or as 'Figure 2, the compacted columns H are cut into suitable lengths for building units, as are 'stifi' mud bricks, and by suitable devices,

or similar to those used in brick manufacture (not shown).

The mass, in the resulting form of a block I made up as above described, will be dried and thereafter fired at a temperature suflicient'ly' high to burn the material to the desired degree, which will depend more or less upon.

the purpose for which theblock is intended.

. At temperatures of from 1500 F. to 1800 F.,

lithe material will be burned without fusion,

in most. cases, but i'f it is desired tO haVEflIQ. strings of materlal fused together, the temperature canbe elevated slightly, whichwill fuse the-material sufiiciently to cause the con- 1 'tacting surfaces of the clay strings to together, without, however, destroying the.

Y pprosity of the block, due to the interstices tweenthe strings or strips of material. By properly regulating the atmosphere within the kljln'or furnace, the surface of the block may be given the desired coloration, or

suitable materials may be sprinkled upon the surface, or the surface suitably scarified or impressed to impart the desired color and texure. a a After the block has been fired to the desired degree, it is preferred to subject it to a slow cooling, to toughen the structure and prevent cracking or disintegration due to. teminterwoven together and, stltuent strings adhered together,. I

perature shock.

. Although the invention has been described with considerable particularity as to. detail,

3. A block composed of a shaped mass of contiguous'strings of fired argillaceous materialrun out in parallel relation and having the constituent strings adhered together.

4. A block' composed of a shaped mass of strings of fired argillaceous material massed together and having the-constituent strings adhbred together and the surface left relatively rough by the exposed strings.

5. A block composed of a shaped mass of strings of fired argillaceous material massed together and having the constituent strings adhered together, the surface strings-present- 7. Ablock composed of a shaped mass of' preformed particles of argillaceous material adhering together at their points of contact, and fired to form a block havingdnterstices throughout intermediate the points of adherence. Y

In witness that we' claim the foregoing we N have hereunto subscribed our names this 26th dayof July, 1929. r

v EDWIN M. WYATT.

KEMPER SLIDELL.

it is to be understood that variations are contemplated, and thatthe drawings and .de-

scription serve simply to exemplify one; method of carrying out the process and pro-.

ducing the product of the present invention. We claim:

1. A block composed of a shaped mass-of A contiguousstrings of fired'argillaceous materia}; adhering together at their points of contac 2. A block composed of a shaped mass of contiguous strings of fired ar%'llaceousmateaving the con- 

